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CREATIVE CITY NEWSLETTER: NOVEMBER
2001
ISSUE 4: GROWTH
ISSUE IN FOCUS: Smart Growth
NEWS YOU CAN USE: The
Bohemian Index
CREATIVE CORNER:
Slow Cities
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:
Marquette County, MI
September 11: Creative
City Participants Respond
Research and Public
Policy Outline
Creative City Participants'
Updated Agendas
ISSUE IN FOCUS: SMART GROWTH
Smart Growth and Our Creative Cities
I. What is Smart Growth and Why is it an Important Issue?
II. The future of Smart Growth and Sept. 11
III. Impact on our Creative City Participants
What is Smart Growth?
People all over the country are heading for the suburbs.
Many believe that living the American dream means having a
house with a nice, big yard out in the quiet countryside away
from the busy city. As a result, urban sprawl is eating up
green space and farmland at an alarming rate. SprawlCity.org
reports, "The rate of rural land lost to development
in the 1990s was about 2.2 million acres per year. If this
rate continues to the year 2050…the United States will
have lost an additional 110 million acres of rural countryside.
That's about equal to the combined areas of Connecticut, Massachusetts,
Rhodes Island, Vermont, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York,
New Jersey and Virginia." The US Department of Agriculture
issued a report saying almost 170 million acres of undeveloped
land are presently threatened. To combat this problem, a new
concept coined "smart growth" is rising in popularity.
Smart growth aims to curb sprawl by giving people desirable
places to live in and near urban areas. It also focuses on
the development of local and existing infrastructure to support
a growing population.
The Research Institute for Housing America explains that
smart growth does five basic things:
- It controls outward growth by placing restrictions and
boundaries on areas.
- It encourages growth in central locations by improving
infrastructure and other public services.
- It redevelops areas to function better and be more attractive.
- It protects undeveloped land from being developed.
- It emphasizes the use of public transportation in order
to reduce dependency on cars.
Let's look at how each of these activities can have a positive
impact on an area and the people who live there.
Smart growth controls outward growth by placing restrictions
and boundaries on areas. In order to prevent people from
moving far out into the suburbs where land must be developed
to be livable, smart growth encourages cities to create urban
growth boundaries and zoning restrictions. By doing so, people
looking to relocate will be unable to pour into the country.
Instead, planners will be encouraged to develop within the
restrictions and create areas where people are near urban
areas but maintain a suburban feel so that citizens may be
happier with their urban housing options. Some ways that new
high-density communities have given their area a more country
feel are by including open parks, lakes and walking paths.
At the same time, because the residents are near an urban
area, they will have quality access to public transit.
Smart growth encourages growth in central locations by
improving infrastructure and other public services. Smart
growth recognizes that it is less expensive for a city to
improve public services than to create new ones. A result
of sprawl is a necessity to build a new infrastructure capable
of supporting the new community. This is costly, not just
to the people choosing to live in the new areas, but also
to the urban residents who have to help fund the developments.
Smart growth suggests that we put that money into the already
existing infrastructure. Subway stations can be improved;
already existing bus routes can incorporate more stops; and
shuttles can be offered to run between popular areas. All
of these things will make the urban area a more desirable
and convenient place to live. It is much easier to serve a
community well if it is centralized rather than sprawled.
Smart growth redevelops areas to function better and be
more attractive. Developers have two options: develop
an open area previously untouched, or redevelop an area that
has become outdated and sparsely populated. Smart growth supports
the latter. This way, undeveloped land can be preserved while
an area that was becoming more of an economic drain than an
asset can be revitalized. People love to take a weekend in
the country, away from it all. But if we continue to allow
urban sprawl and develop land as we have been, those country
weekends will only be a memory. Instead, rundown urban areas
are a winning place to develop. The city gains a new area
for housing in a central location, and it rids itself of rundown
unattractive area. Revitalizing problem areas can give city
image a boost and make that city more alluring to investment.
Smart growth protects undeveloped land from being developed.
The EPA has supported the efforts of smart growth to protect
the remaining wildlife and green areas in the country as uncontrolled
sprawl is considered an ecological threat. Sprawl not only
threatens wildlife, but also increases pollution because of
a higher dependency on cars. Many of our Creative Cities participants
have had a serious reduction in their cities amount of undeveloped
land and, in Florida, the list of endangered species continues
to grow as people build on their natural habitat.
Smart growth emphasizes the use of public transportation
to reduce the dependency on cars. A major result of sprawl
is the necessity to own a car. This causes a number of problems.
First of all, it increases traffic. More people living far
off in the suburbs means more traffic downtown. The original
infrastructure of the city was not designed to handle a lot
of out of city traffic efficiently. Also, because uncontrolled
sprawl means a rather slapdash infrastructure, the road system
in the suburbs might not be able to accommodate the increasing
number of cars either. A second problem with a dependency
on cars is an increase in pollution. Sprawl means more cars
on the road sitting in traffic with more pollutants released
into the air, threatening our health. Carpooling becomes more
difficult as people live farther and farther apart. Our health
is threatened a second way by this dependency on cars. The
only way to get anywhere in a sprawled area is to drive whereas
in urban areas people are able to walk to do almost anything.
Weight gain is a serious repercussion of people driving everywhere
and rarely exercising.
Of course smart growth, being a relatively young urban planning
trend, is slightly controversial. There are arguments refuting
its believed advantages. Sprawl can be seen as a sign of economic
vitality in the form of growth. Sprawl can also increase the
affordability of housing. Many people are moving out to undeveloped
areas because of the lower land values and, therefore, lower
housing costs. In addition, studies have shown that black
ownership of households is greater in sprawled areas. Urban
economist, Matthew Kahn found that "black households
living in sprawled metropolitan areas live in larger housing
units and are more likely to own a home than observationally
identical black households in less sprawled areas."
Both the US Bureau of Census and the Sierra Club have compiled
lists of the most sprawled cities in the US. You can see them
at:
www.sprawlcity.org/hbis/
www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/report98/cities.asp
Other websites dedicated to smart growth:
www.sprawlwatch.org
www.governing.com/govlinks/gland.htm
www.planning.org
www.smartgrowth.org
www.demographia.com
www.farmland.org/cfl/centvalleyexec.htm
www.perc.org/feb99.pdf
September 11 and the Future of Smart Growth
September 11 has had a devastating effect on our economy,
ruining consumer confidence. US citizens may not have the
patience and trust that is necessary to see the benefits of
smart growth. While smart growth will provide benefits in
the long run, these tough times call for the more immediate
economic returns of suburban style growth to combat recession
fears and budget deficits. States, like Arizona and Colorado,
which have made smart growth a dominating subject on political
agendas, are now overshadowed by the need to save deteriorating
revenues. A suburban style growth plan takes advantage of
those who demand lower housing costs. Urban areas are being
hurt by investors' newfound anxiety over using high-density
buildings. A sprawling city seems to be a harder target for
a terrorist attack.
On the other hand, smart growth advocates are reassuring.
They are quick to explain that there are still plenty of economic
reasons for companies to remain in densely populated areas:
collaborating companies are near by; there is airport service
with quick mail service; there are many hotels and restaurants
available for hosting clients. The tragedy is also bringing
people together which will naturally hold together a dense
urban community. And in response to the fear of using high-density
buildings: smart growth enthusiasts say that smart growth
is attainable without enormous skyscrapers. Smart growth is
simply a desire to cluster dense residential developments
around commercial and office development and to encourage
people to use public transit or walk or bike to work or school.
The Impact on Our Creative Cities
CALIFORNIA: Ventura, San Jose, and Oakland
The recent energy scares have caused citizens to recognize
the importance of controlled growth. In response, there are
now statewide efforts to redevelop poor neighborhoods. Hewlett,
Irvine and Packard are pouring large amounts of money into
non-profits supporting smart growth. The state has also established
a Smart
Growth Caucus.
Oakland is trying to link its transportation to housing in
an effort to solve its gridlock problem.
San Jose has an urban growth boundary in place and is struggling
to build more high-density housing within to accommodate the
growing population and traffic problems. Click here
for more information on what San Jose is doing with smart
growth.
FLORIDA: Orlando
Orlando ranks high on both the Census' and the Sierra Clubs
Most Sprawled lists. Because the economy in Orlando largely
focuses on the theme park, residents are primarily low-income
park employees. Low-income means low housing density because
people are constantly moving farther away for cheaper land
prices. As a result of this uncontrolled sprawl, 68 species
of flora and fauna are federally listed and 99 are state listed
as threatened or endangered. (SprawlCity.org)
INDIANA: Indianapolis
While Indianapolis is recognized as being a more sprawled
city in the US, it has succeeded in a well-planned consolidation
of city into county.
KENTUCKY: Louisville
You can learn more about what Kentucky is doing with smart
growth here.
The Governor has created a Smart Growth Task Force, which
reviews Kentucky statutes, regulations and programs and identifies
possible incentives for local government to institute smart
growth.
MARYLAND: Prince Georges County
You can learn more about what Maryland is doing with smart
growth at www.op.state.md.us/smartgrowth/. The Governor of
Maryland has taken great strides to make smart growth a leading
topic for the state development after recognizing that sprawl
was a problem due to traffic congestion, loss of farmland
and open space and the fiscal impact to the state. The Office
of Smart Growth restores and enhances existing communities
and protects the best remaining farm, forest and resources
land. Montgomery County has moderately priced dwelling units
that require that 12.5-15% of the inhabitants be low and middle
income in order to diversify tenants.
MICHIGAN: Marquette County
Marquette County is focusing on ways to build a community
identity. Senator Carl Levin is part of a Smart Growth Task
Force and he has dedicated some space on his website to it
here.
MINNESOTA: St. Paul
Uncontrolled sprawl in St. Paul has caused increased traffic
problems and an increasingly segregated community. In response,
legislation has been passed to control new growth. $1.17 million
has been budgeted for six smart growth demonstrations. The
city hopes the demonstrations will show that transit-oriented,
mixed-use developments can be a successful alternative to
developing farmland and open space. The MNSmartGrowth.org
website provided this information: St. Paul has several proposals
in the works, among them a 550-home development on the Mississippi
River and a new downtown community in its "Northeast
Quadrant." Businesses are contributing to the smart growth
effort. Many firms have chosen to remain, or move, to downtowns
throughout the region. American Express and several other
hundred other firms, meanwhile, have successfully encouraged
employees to take the bus to work. You can learn more about
what Minnesota is doing with smart growth here.
MISSOURI: Kansas City, St. Louis
Kansas City has started a Kansas City Area Smart Growth Alliance
to show their belief in the necessity of a smart growth plan.
Because the city spans bi-state, it is difficult for the city
to think of itself as a single entity, which means more sprawl.
A group called FOCUS is trying to create an urban core to
unite the city. A smart growth program is also need to increase
ridership on public transit because right now people drive
everywhere.
St. Louis is suffering from a rapid decline in farmland due
to urban development, which is becoming a burden to tax payers.
NORTH CAROLINA: Charlotte
Sprawl is definitely considered a problem in Charlotte. In
1999, the HB1468 Growth Management Act was passed. Under this
act, impact fees were created and urban growth boundaries
had to be consistent with local plans.
You can learn more about what North Carolina is doing with
smart growth here.
NEW YORK: Rochester
In an attempt to stop sprawl, Rochester is attempting to
create city hubs that will centralize their population. You
can learn more about sprawl in Rochester here.
TENNESSEE: Shelby County/Memphis
Under new legislation, each county must establish a committee
to develop its county growth plans with urban growth boundaries.
The Tennessee Historical Commission must review plans to alter,
destroy, or transfer historical properties.
You can learn more about what Tennessee is doing with smart
growth here.
VIRGINIA: Roanoke
In Roanoke, community residents are in favor of smart growth.
They have fought the building of a new highway that would
promote sprawl in their area.
Contributed by Beth Belk at Partners for Livable Communities.
Beth is a recent graduate of Rhodes College in Memphis, TN.
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